Michael's Movie Grade: C
An enjoyable but not especially memorable family film.
This may not be a new family classic, but the movie did put a smile on my face. The main characters are quite likable and easy to relate to. While it may be true that they are not exactly subtle characters, this is a movie about a singing crocodile. I truly liked these characters and found it easy to root for them. Each has their own little story that works quite well and makes them feel more real to us. The main storyline of this film is very familiar but still quite charming and hits some of the emotional notes quite well. The humor is quite charming even if I admit that it made me smile quite a bit but never laugh out loud. This film also has a great look that does a really nice job of combining New York City with a fairy tale style atmosphere. It is quite impressive how directors Josh Gordon and Will Speck (the directing team behind Blades of Glory (2007) and Office Christmas Party (2016)), adapt themselves to this more family friendly and fantasy style environment. The original songs for this movie are really good. They sound very nice, are quite catchy and have some very pleasant feel-good lyrics.
The main problem I have with this film is that it is not especially memorable. While I enjoyed watching the movie, I have little doubt that a year from now, I am kind of going to forget it exists. This is because it is so similar to many other movies and does little to make it stand out from said movies. I will also say, I thought some of the character development happens much too fast and seems quite rushed. While I like the design of Lyle the crocodile, the design of the CGI cat is another story. This design is simply an uncomfortably awkward combination of a cartoon-y style with a more realistic one.
This may not be a new classic but it makes for a nice fun trip to the movies.
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